Charles schermerhorn



(No Modelhfi 'GLSGI-IERMBRHOR'N.

. TOWEL RAG];

No. 504,053. Patented A-11 g;29, 1893. 1 if;

l/vi/we/aoo I I Jvwentoz J 2 I 359 GHQ/014213 )6 mrxmg UNTTED STATES PATENT Curios.

CHARLES SCHERMERHORN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN W. MITCHELL, OF SAME PLACE.

TOWEL-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,053, dated August 29, 1893. Application filed March 26, 1892. Serial lilo-426,420. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SOHERMER- HORN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the cityand county of NewYork, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Towel-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of towelracks or stands which are capable of being folded for convenience in storage or transportation, and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall present a neat and ornamental appearance, which may be manufactured at a moderate expense, and which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability and general efficiency.

My invention consists of a standard or upright, provided with hinged legs which may be folded together into small compass, and with laterally extending hinged arms which may likewise be folded. I also provide the said standard or central support with a head or cross-piece at its upper end,carrying hinged arms arranged in pairs on opposite sides thereof, and connected by rungs upon which towels may be placed when the said arms or supporting devices are extended.

My invention further consists in details of construction whereby the legs may be retained in position when extended, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing in strong lines the arms and legs extended and ready for use, and in dotted lines the legs folded and the arms partly folded. Fig. 2 is abottom plan view of the same on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the stand at right angles to the view in Fig. 1.. Figs. 4 and 5 are on a larger scale. Fig. at is a vertical section through one of the arms of the towel frame, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same with a vertical section of the supporting casting. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modification.

Similar numbers of reference indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

To the under side of the upright is secured a plate 7, having a centrally arranged downwardly-extending bolt 8 upon which a cruciform turning brace 9 is mounted, and adapted to be held securely by means of a thumbnut 10. This cruciform wheel or brace, when the legs are extended, may be turned so as to bear against the said legs and thus hold them securelyin an extended position. When it shall be desired to fold the legs the thumbnut 10 is loosened and the brace 9 maythen be slightly turned, thus enabling the legs to be folded toward each other so as to occupy but little space. It will be seen that by this device the legs when extended will be held securely, and will be prevented from collapsing in case the structure shall be lifted for the purpose of moving from one placeto another.

To the side of the upright, at some distance from its upper end, are secured castings designated by 11, which consist of base plates 12 having outwardly-extending leaves 13 provided at their outer ends with laterally extending lugs 14. Arms 15, adapted when extended to form towel-supports at the midheight, are connected pivotally with the leaves 13 by means of clamping-bolts 16 having thumb-nuts or tightening nuts 17 of any suitable description. They enable the arms to be retained securely in various positions of adjustment.

The upper end of the standard 1 is forked to receive the head or cross-piece 18 which consists simply of a flat board of any suitable ornamental shape. The said head is provided with hinged arms 19, in pairs on each side, which are connected by the rungs or towelsupports 20. The arms 19 are hinged in castings 21 which are approximately semi-spheri- ICO cal in shape, and provided with slots 22, at the inner sides of which seats orbearings 23 are formed to support the trunuions 24. that extend laterally at the inner ends of the arms 19. The latter, which are inserted through the slots 22 from the inner sides of the castings, are provided on their lower sides with shoulders 25 adapted to rest against said castings so as to prevent the arms from dropping down too far. The arms are pressed outward into their bearings in the castings by means of springs 26, riveted to the inner sides of the latter, and bearing against the inner ends of the arms which are rounded so as to receive at all times an even and equal pressure from the said springs. The latter, it will be seen, thus perform the double function of retaining the arms in position in the castings and of furnishing a certain degree of friction whereby'the said arms shall be retained at any elevation to which they may be adjusted. The castings 21 are screwed to the sides of the head or cross-piece 18.

The arms 19 are provided with perforations 28, at the outer lower edges of which small trapezoidal nibs or projections 29 are formed. The ends of the rungs 20 are driven through these perforations, and will be held securely therein bymeans of the projections 29 so that they may not be turned or readily withdrawn from the said perforations. By this construction I avoid the use of fastening screws which would otherwise be desirable or necessary, and which would involve the necessity of drilling and tapping the arms at each perforation. It is obvious that by this construction, when the rungs are mounted in the arms, and the castings carrying the latter are secured to the head or cross-piece,there will be great firmness and security of construction in the device.

The head 18 is secured to the standard 1 by means of arms or braces 30, (see Fig. 1,) held by means of a screw so that it may be readily removed when it shall be desired to remove the head or upper cross-piece from the standard or upright for the purpose of folding the device for storage or transportation.

The ends of the several towel-supporting arms and the rungs may be tipped with thimbles or ferrules to insure neatness of appearance, and to avoid the exposure of the rough ends of these parts.

It is not essential that the several knuckles which hold the legs have their parts which are fixed to the post 1 in separate pieces,-all four may be in one piece of malleable cast iron, or other suitable material, receiving the lower end of the post within it as a socket secured by one or more screws. Fig. (5 shows such a modification.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings.

My improved towel-rack is Very simple in construction, and may be manufactured at a moderate expense. It is very neat and ornamental in appearance.

An important advantage of the device is that it may be folded very compactly so as to occupy but little room for shipment or transportation by removing the upper crosspiece or head 18, folding the arms 19 against the sides of the latter, and folding the arms 15 against the sides of the standard, and likewise turning the brace 9 and folding the legs together in the manner hereinbefore described.

I have in. the foregoing described what I consider to be the preferred form of my invention, but I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the details of c0nstruction herein described, but reserve the right to any such changes and modifications as may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a standard or upright, the flanged castings secured at the lower end of the latter and having shouldered ears, legs hinged therein a centrally arranged cruciform turning brace adapted to bear against the saidlegs when extended, and the screw 10 arranged centrally below for holding the said cruciform brace in position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the standard or upright of the head or cross-piece, the approximately semi-spherical castings 21, secured in pairs to opposite sides of the same, the arms 19 hinged in said castings, the springs 26 secured to the inner sides of the castings and bearing against the inner ends of the said arms, and the rungs connecting the latter, substantially as herein described.

3. The slotted approximately semi-spherical casting 21, having seats 23, in combination with the arm 19, having laterally extending trunnions 24, shoulder 25 and rounded inner end, and the spring 29 secured to the inner side of the casting 21 and bearing against the inner end of the arm 19 to retain the latter in position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SCHERMERHORN.

Nitnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, H. A. J OHNS'LONE.

IIO 

